Why did you apply for the NASA Internship?
I had an internship last summer with Irvine Valley College and the California Space Grant Consortium working on a NASA project (PRANDTL-M at AFRC). This year, I applied to internships because I wanted to continue working on something similar. I applied to NASA internships all over the country, applying for specifics projects I would love to work on relating to the avionics/engineering field I want to work in. NASA IV&V had a project I was passionate about, and I took the opportunity right when I saw it despite having to travel to West Virginia for the internship.

What are you doing for NASA (brief summary of intern project)?
I worked on a project called DRACUS under the mentorship of Steven Hard. This project is a development of a multi-rotor UAV (otherwise known as quad-copter or drone) that will assist NASA IV&V in small scale hardware/software testing. The purpose is to develop different payloads to attach to the multi-rotor in order to do different types of aerial testing. NASA IV&V is primarily a software facility, and using a UAV platform such as this is a good step in implementing hardware knowledge and hands on testing into the program.

What do you like most about working for NASA?
Working for NASA has always been a dream for me, and it was awesome to be able to get a taste of what it would be like to work for them in the future. My mentors, other NASA IV&V employees, and fellow interns all made the experience an awesome one. Everyone around me was so passionate and goal driven and that rubbed off on me as well. Due to the environment and resources in NASA, I was able to accomplish work I didn’t think I was capable of. Lastly, my favorite thing about working with NASA this summer were the constant challenges I faced and overcame that helped me gain, hands on experience and develop as an engineer (all while having a great time of course).

I am a freshman at West Virginia University studying both aerospace and mechanical engineering. During my first few years of college, I plan to join the WVU Engineers without Borders club to apply my STEM knowledge to serving communities. I grew up attending NASA Educator Resource Center programs such as TARC rocketry, FIRST robotics, and Small Satellites for Secondary students, which inspired me to pursue a career in the space industry. I have been involved in FIRST Lego League (FLL) Robotics for six years; two as a team member, three as a mentor, and this past year as a coach for a junior robotics team. In my spare time I enjoy playing basketball, practicing my trumpet, and amateur photography. During my internship this summer, I beta-tested a curriculum sent by Johnson Space Center on porting Core Flight System software onto an AR Drone 2.0 platform. The goal of the project was to modify and improve the application as appropriate, and to create a document reviewing the curriculum which will be sent back to JSC for improvement. This internship has provided me with valuable experience in a professional work environment, insight into STEM fields, and improved programming abilities. I hope to one day land a job in the space industry and contribute to NASA’s mission.

Hello. I am Sebastian Reger. I come from Buckhannon, a small town in central West Virginia with not even 6,000 residents. After graduating from high school, I sought to keep doors open for the future and pursue my interests in problem solving/technology. This kept me nearby at West Virginia University. In college, I have performed music as a trumpet player in the Mountaineer Marching Band. My sophomore year, I began leading the trumpet section of over 60 members and was the president of WVU’s IEEE club. At first, I failed, but my new uncovered passion for leadership drove me to success toward the end of these roles. I chose NASA again this summer because of my interests in building, whether it is a project or making a system more efficient in a government environment. I also love space. In the future, I hope to find a method of integrating my entrepreneurial, leadership, and problem solving passions into a way to impact people and the world around me.

Name: Emily KearneyAge: 20Education: Graduated From Jefferson High School in 2015. Currently a rising junior at West Virginia Wesleyan CollegeArea of Study: Engineering and Physics at the Undergraduate LevelUnique Facts: I can touch my nose with my tongue. I enjoy camping. I enjoy ballet.

What Brought You to NASA: NASA definitely has a big reputation in the worlds of Physics and Engineering. I figured that it would be a good place to explore for a potential career.

Where You See Yourself in Your Career: I’m not sure. I hope that I’m doing hands-on work or coding. I’ve always been fond of working with my hands, but I took my first class in programming this recent semester. I really liked it. NASA seems to be a good environment for either type of position.

Why NASA?I was introduced to NASA through the Rocksat-C program. I joined the team when studying at West Virginia University and through this program my interested in the software engineering field spiked. Not only was I proud of the payload that was constructed but NASA helped me to achieve something I never sought possible for myself. I entered the software engineering field not knowing a whole lot about it but NASA has helped me to push my limits on what I know and has given me the confidence and support to reach for the stars.

The Future…After I enter my career field I see myself in a positive work environment that is always learning and encourages improvement and innovation. I am specializing in web applications and could see myself working on constructing applications as a future job. NASA has provided me with the experience building flight software for small payloads and that has been a really exciting and rewarding experience. I could also see myself doing something related to that as well. I would like to build applications, websites and possibly start my own online company.

Name: Caomi FitzAge: 16 years oldEducation: I go to East Fairmont High School, and I am a rising juniorIntended Major: I intend to study either psychiatry or psychologyUnique facts about myself: I love to knit, read books, and listen to music. My favorite meal is ribs and mashed potatoes.What brought you to NASA: The unique experience this internship gives me, and to learn more about a possible future career.Where you see yourself after you enter into your career: Forming friendships, giving back to my community, and walking my dogs every day.

My name is Lian Dunlevy and I was born and raised in Morgantown West Virginia, and I am the youngest intern this year. I will be a junior at Morgantown High School at the end of my internship and would like to go into some form of technical entrepreneurship in the future or something where I am able to work with tech and the public. I am currently on the MARS (Mountaineer Area Robotics) team which was inducted into the FIRST world hall of fame last year. In my spare time, I like to shoot in competitive pistol competitions.

Why you applied for a NASA internship?
I learned of the NASA IV&V internship program through Dr. Majid Jaridi, Director of NASA West Virginia Space Grant Consortium. I realized that the NASA IV&V internship program would provide an opportunity to gain real world experience while applying the knowledge I learned through my years studying at WVU. Through the Space Grant Consortium, I applied for the position with the guidance of Candy Cordwell, Program Manager.

What do you like most about working for NASA?
From the first day of this experience, the NASA IV&V employees and mentors have been extremely helpful in ensuring the interns are comfortable and have the resources to complete our best work. My favorite part of this experience is the opportunity to work with such an influential workforce within NASA IV&V.

What are you doing for NASA (brief summary of intern project)?
I am working with Mentor Mr. Marcus Fisher and fellow intern Mr. Rosemberth Lopez. Our project is part of the nationwide effort to observe the Solar Eclipse on the afternoon of August 21, 2017. Our goal is to design and build a payload which can attach to the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium high-altitude balloon and record NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) data along the ecliptic path.

Where do you see yourself in your future?
In the future I plan to graduate from WVU with a degree in Industrial and Management Systems Engineering. I plan to pursue a master’s degree at West Virginia University after graduation.

Age: 22Hometown: Fort Washington, MarylandHigh School Attended: National Christian AcademyCollege Attending: West Virginia UniversityField of Study and Year: Junior studying Aerospace EngineeringUnique fact about me: I am an Air Force cadet in the WVU ROTC program

Why you applied for the NASA Internship? While working on undergraduate research, through the West Virginia Space Grant Consortium (WVSGC) Ms. Candy Cordwell, program manager, informed me of the opportunity. Once being informed, I took the necessary actions to make sure I could be part of the NASA IV&V team. Working at NASA IV&V would open many doors for me and would help me relate the material that was thought in the classroom and apply it to real world scenarios. It would also give me a great first person point of view of how an engineering environment feels like and a good way to start learning the ins and outs of the career field.

What are you doing for NASA (brief summary of intern project)? I worked under Marcus Fisher and alongside fellow intern Morgan Cassels. We are working in creating and further developing a payload capable of carrying a NDVI camera to capture images of the surrounding vegetation during the total solar eclipse that will occur on August 21, 2017. We will be attaching our payload to a weather balloon designed by The West Virginia Space Grant Consortium, that will be launched from Southern Illinois.

What do you like most about working for NASA? I enjoy the atmosphere and environment that it has to offer. Not only is the staff helpful and cordial they show excitement and enthusiasm toward all the interns and making us feel at home. Also, walking through the halls of the buildings is like walking through the halls of an enormous library, in the sense that there is an abundance of knowledge here.

Where do you see yourself after entering in your career? Since I am currently enrolled in the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFROTC) at West Virginia University, I will be commissioned as an Officer in the Air Force once I graduate with my Aerospace Engineering degree. While in the Air Force I plan on working as a Flight Test Engineer. After the Air Force I intend on working with the Department of Defense but still staying on the engineering side of it all.

Hi, my name is Morgan Novak. I am from a small town in southeast Texas called Hamshire. With Hamshire’s population of about 1500, my household takes up a whopping 1%. As the second oldest of way too many siblings, coming to West Virginia was a nice change in scenery. It is so beautiful here!

This year I will be a sophomore at the University of North Texas. I am double majoring in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science and minoring in Math. I am interested in both the hardware and software side of things. I love learning more about new topics/ideas and showing that knowledge off in hackathons.

In my free time I play soccer with my friends and family and last year I coached my little sister’s team. This year, however, I was low on free time due to starting my own company. I am currently testing the second prototype of my product before I pursue anything further.

Getting an internship here has been dream come true! I have wanted to work for NASA ever since I was little. In my junior year of high school, I participated in the Texas High school Aerospace Scholars (HAS) program where I got to stay at JSC for a week and work with real engineers. Participating in these two opportunities has sealed the deal; after graduating from UNT my goal is to get a full time position contributing to the advancement of space travel.